"Can you give me some tips that will really help me lose some of this extra weight?"

First and most importantly, are you making these mistakes?

Step 1: You come across a tip or suggestion for weight loss.

Step 2: You tell yourself it won't help -- that it's trivial -- that it's not important enough to worry about.

Step 3: Or you say, "I already know that..."

Step 4: Then you look for something else.

Have you done this? That's all it takes. It's a remarkably simple formula for failure.

Follow this pattern and you'll be stuck where you are, overweight and unhappy about it.

Simple weight loss tips or something more?

Weight loss tips: What are they? How important are they to you?

Does it sound like something minor when you call it a weight loss tip? Nothing could be further from the truth.

In any field there are basics. There are the fundamentals. These are vital truths that are key to success -- the difference between success and failure.

Success doesn't lie in the dramatic.

Success lies in the basics.

If you learn this and apply it you will be light years ahead.

Definition: Weight loss tips are those things, proven to work, that consistently lead to successful weight loss.

If you apply them you will succeed. If you don't you will fail. It's that important.

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The top 73 weight loss tips:

#1 Learn the truth about weight loss.

This means reading about the real science. Science? That means those things that have been proven to work.

#2 Ignore the hype.

You can only ignore the hype once you understand what is hype. And this can only happen after you understand #1 -- those things that have been proven to work.

#3 Apply what you learn.

You will find that the more you know and understand, the easier it will be to apply. It's almost magical. What was difficult before becomes much easier.

#4 Follow your plan.

When you understand the basics you can develop a plan that works. After that, you follow it. You don't go veering off course to try something else. Why would you? You know what works. Anything else is just suicide.

#5 Continuously improve.

This is the sign of a true professional, the continuous improvement. When you apply the basic principles you get your own insights. Soon you know and understand things that are not in the books and research papers.

#6 Don't let yourself be fooled.

The world is full of fakes. Their lies can be remarkably tempting. The sensible actions lie on a straight and narrow path. The gimmicks and the efforts at sudden weight loss are off the path. Don't be a sucker.

#7 Whenever you eat, have some protein.

Weak bodies gain fat. Strong bodies burn fat. If you build a strong body it will burn the fat for you. What are strong bodies made of? Protein.

#8 Limit refined carbohydrates.

Your body was not designed to handle large amounts of sugar. Too much sugar overwhelms your system and leads not just to obesity but to heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes and even some kinds of cancer.

#9 Eat foods as close to nature as possible.

Apples are better than applesauce. And applesauce is better than apple juice. Corn is better than corn chips. And corn chips are better than corn syrup.

#10 Use food for fuel.

Food is supposed to energize the body. So give your body high energy food. High energy is not candy bars and caffeine drinks. High energy is oatmeal.

#11 Eat frequent small meals.

Why? Two reasons. One, you get energy when you need it. Two, it keeps you from getting overly hungry. And when you get overly hungry you tend to binge eat.

#12 Eat your breakfast.

If you don't usually eat breakfast it is worth making the adjustment. Eating breakfast does a number of things. It gives you the energy to start your day. And it shifts your intake earlier in the day, where you can burn it for energy and use it for building, rather than later where it is stored as fat.

#13 Know the fat, protein and carbohydrate content of your food.

How can you make choices without proper information? When you know what is in the food you are eating you can decide what is good to eat and what is not.

#14 Know the energy content of your food.

The energy content is the number of calories. Calories are not something invented to make your life difficult. Calories are a tool for you to use.

#15 Choose foods with higher nutrient density.

Nutrient density? Some foods have a lot of nutrition in a small amount of food. That's high nutrient density. Some foods are the opposite -- lots of calories and little nutrition. If you're in tune with your body you feel better after you eat foods with high nutrient density.

# 16 Burn more calories than you eat.

How do you burn calories? It means getting up off the couch and doing something. If you go from the television to the computer screen to the telephone, then all the diets in the world won't help you.

#17 Get some air in your lungs.

This means doing something outdoors. Gardening. Riding your bike. Walking. Whatever it is, you were meant to be in the real world doing real things. So get outside in the fresh air.

#18 Stimulate your heart.

When you exercise and work up a sweat you are getting your heart pumping and your blood flowing. That takes oxygenated blood to areas that don't get much flow. It helps everything from your liver -- cleaning out the sludge, to your back -- supplying the nutrients to help make your back strong and relieve back pain. And it keeps your heart healthy and young.

#19 Do resistance training.

Muscles aren't just for bodybuilders. The more muscle mass you have the easier it will be for you to burn fat. Muscle burns fat even at rest. And how do you get more muscle mass? Resistance training. That means pullups, pushups and weight training. Weight training is for everyone at every age.

#20 Drink enough water.

Water is not coffee. Or tea. Or soda. Or heaven forbid diet soda. Water is water. It is 70% of your body. And if you don't get enough you will be weak, fatigued, and toxic. Drink your water.

#21 Get enough sleep.

Your body repairs itself when you sleep. Not enough sleep means you're not fully repaired. And since muscle growth occurs when you sleep, if you don't get enough sleep you'll be physically weak as well as mentally tired.

#22 Get some sun.

You need sun. Particularly if you tend to be depressed you need sun. Sun in your eyes helps regulate your normal wake and sleep cycles. And sun also produces vitamin D, essential for strong healthy bones.

#23 Avoid ultra-low calorie diets.

These don't lead to long-term weight loss. Ask yourself, "Will this make my body stronger?" Ultra-low calorie diets make your body weaker, not stronger. And only those things that make you stronger lead to permanent weight loss.

#24 Avoid extreme low-carbohydrate diets.

This is the Atkins diet and similar diets. Carbohydrates are your body's natural source of energy. There is no reason to overly restrict them. And low-carb diets are too difficult to stick with. At the end of a year the vast majority of people who try them are back where they were, or worse.

#25 Avoid extreme low-fat diets.

When you eat low-fat food, what are you getting? Food has to be made of something, so if you remove the fat, what do you add? Usually, what is added is refined carbohydrate, and that is the last thing you need in your diet.

#26 Avoid one-food fads.

Like the grapefruit diet. Or the cabbage soup diet. No one has ever maintained healthy weight loss as a result of one-food fad dieing.

#27 Know your daily calorie needs.

Get an idea of the calories you burn each day. Figure out your calories at rest. Add in calories for activity. It's not a mystery -- if you go over that amount you gain weight. Simple.

#28 Take vitamin and mineral supplements.

This used to be a controversial recommendation. It's not anymore. You can't rely on your food for the vitamins and minerals you need. Go to California and watch how they grow vegetables. They plant, grow, harvest, and then plant the next day. Commercial fertilizers make the plants grow, but what provides the minerals and other nutrients that have been exhausted from the soil?

#29 Don't skip meals.

You don't lose weight by skipping meals. That is just a way to make yourself hungry. It leads to feeling starved and often to late-night eating.

#30 Don't eat to feel full.

Feeling full means filling up your stomach until it is stretched from the food. But if you eat healthy foods you get adequate nutrition and energy long before you feel full. There is no need to stuff yourself.

#31 Don't look for miracles.

Miracles don't happen in weight loss. Weight gain and weight loss are the result of basic physics. It's energy in and energy out. Fat is stored energy. You don't get rid of fat with miracles. You get rid of fat by persistent application of workable principles.

#32 Avoid restaurant food.

Have you noticed that nothing tastes as good as a home cooked meal? Why? Because it's simple. There is nothing better and healthier than simple, natural ingredients cooked at home. Restaurant food is too greasy, too sugary and there is too much of it.

#33 Cook in advance.

Take time to make some dishes in advance. Store it in containers or freeze it. Then just grab it and go. It's cheaper and better then eating out. This works great for soups and casseroles. Or boil some eggs and cut up some veggies. Add a slice of whole wheat bread and you have a delicious on-the-go meal.

#34 Pack your lunch.

You can't eat good food if you don't have it. Take healthy food with you. That way you'll know what you're eating, and it will be food that your body needs.

#35 Keep healthy snacks on hand.

Don't go anywhere without a good snack with you. When hunger strikes you don't want to be trapped at the drive-through. A couple of ounces of cheese and an apple, some slices of turkey or a few crackers and some peanut butter will help keep you away from the French fries.

#36 Make a schedule.

Sure, life has interruptions. But you're still more likely to make it to the gym 3 times a week if it's on your schedule than if you just "go when I have time." When will you just have time? Never, if you don't make a schedule.

#37 Eat on schedule.

Why? One, to provide yourself with good nutrition at the time when it's most beneficial. Two, to keep yourself from becoming weak or overly hungry. Three, it's good discipline. Your body is a carbon-oxygen machine. The more tightly you control it the better it works.

#38 Allow yourself some treats.

What is life all about, anyway? Food shouldn't be everything in your life, but it is certainly an important part. You'll never succeed if you try to deny yourself the joys of eating. You have your favorite dishes and your favorite occasions. Eat birthday cake on your birthday, and remember to enjoy it. But not everyday. It should be the occasional treat.

#39 Don't use artificial sweeteners.

Anything that makes your body stronger will help with weight loss. The opposite is also true. Anything that doesn't make your body stronger doesn't help with weight loss. Artificial sweeteners do not make you stronger. Artificial sweeteners are harsh chemicals that were never meant to be in a human body. They cause cravings and shouldn't be used.

#40 Don't take diet pills.

You can't lose weight with diet pills. People have used diet pills for years. The worst are extremely damaging. Many have been taken off the market. Drug companies try to introduce new ones, but most applications are rejected. Why? Because rigorous scientific testing shows them to be useless or harmful. You'll never get a lean, healthy body if you take a bunch of pills.

#41 All calories are not equal.

Why? Because "you are what you eat." Which body would be healthier, one built of drive-through burgers and French fries, or one made of lean, healthy meats, fish, dairy, fruits and vegetables? The answer to that should be obvious.

#42 Limit your alcohol use.

Does science really show that alcohol makes you healthier? Human nature: scientists tend to find what they are looking for. Alcohol is a poison. Alcohol has 7 calories per gram, just behind fat with 9 calories per gram, and way ahead of protein and carbohydrate with 4 calories per gram. But alcohol has no nutritional value. It leaves you poisoned and depleted. Wake up with a hangover and you'll see the truth in that. If you want to lose weight you must limit the empty calories, and alcohol is empty calories.

#43 Be aware of hidden calories.

Where do you find hidden calories? Everywhere. Salad dressing -- 120 calories per tablespoon. Cream in your coffee. Or Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino Blended Coffee -- 420 calories. That's not coffee -- that's a dessert, and a big one at that. Know what is in what you eat.

#44 Don't drink your calories.

A soda has 120 calories. And it doesn't kill your appetite. Studies have shown that you'll eat just as much if you drink soda as if you don't. So the soda is just extra calories in your daily intake. One soda a day is about 10 pounds (4.5 kg) in a year.

#45 Record your progress.

You can control those things which you are able to face. It can be hard to face being overweight. But if you record your progress it helps you face it. You see it in black and white -- the weight, the goals, food intake, calories needed, calorie intake, exercise. You have a record of your success and progress. Studies show increased weight loss by the use of a journal.

#46 Have reasonable goals.

You want clearly defined goals. That includes body weight of course, but also lean mass and clothes size. You don't want to lose weight and still be flabby, weak, out-of-shape and unhealthy. Get your goals just right. Don't sell yourself short, but don't make the goals unachievable either.

#47 Reduce your body mass index (BMI) to the normal range.

Some scientists and doctors encourage weight loss of just a few pounds or a few percent body weight. They say more than that is "unrealistic." That's not true. Studies are clear: you are more likely to keep the weight off if your goal gets you to a normal body weight and if you reach that goal. People who reach their goal weight tend to stay there.

#48 Challenge yourself.

Exercise doesn't seem to work for many people. Why? Two reasons. One, they are either overwhelming their body with excess quantities of nutrient deficient food, or two, they are not getting adequate intensity of exercise. Plodding on the treadmill will get you nowhere. You must stimulate muscle growth. How? By more intense exercise. Each workout you should strive for more repetitions with more resistance that you did the previous workout. That is the formula for successful weight loss with exercise.

#49 Stop sending negative messages.

You are strong. You are capable. You can accomplish your goals.

#50 Don't associate with negative people.

It's hard to lose weight. It is 10 times as hard if you are surrounded with people that tear you down. Is there someone that doesn't support you and your goals? Do you feel worse after you see or talk to certain people? Then don't associate with them. You need to surround yourself with people that support you.

#51 Don't compare yourself negatively with others.

Does someone else have a more beautiful body than yours? Of course. But dwelling on that doesn't help. Appreciate yourself for your good points. And then work to make yourself better.

#52 Get inspiration from others.

It's fine to look at others as role models. See what they have done well, and if it would work for you and fit in your plan -- without interfering with what you are already doing -- then add it in.

#53 If you want to look like a dancer, then dance.

Form follows function. It's not the other way around, despite what they teach you in biology class. Look at the body of a world class sprinter, male or female. They're muscle on muscle. Is there anything more beautiful? Want to look that way? Better break out the track shoes.

#54 If you think you can't, then change your mind.

You can change your mind about things. It's the easiest thing to do there is. If your favorite color blue? Then make it red for a minute. Then yellow. You can always make your favorite color blue again later. It won't break anything if you change your mind. You can be who you want, where you want and how you want. You have permission.

#55. Get some attitude.

Are you the most beautiful person in the world? Maybe you are. Who's to say who is the most beautiful? But it's guaranteed that whoever looks the most beautiful is 10% looks and 90% positive attitude. It's not that disgusting real-TV blatant exhibitionism we're talking about. Rather it's poised and secure self-esteem, confidence and pride that reflects great dignity and personal worth. You can show this in everything you do, and let your inner beauty shine.

#56 Persevere.

Persistent application of correct principles equals success. Do what works. Improve where possible. Correct what is not effective. And persevere. You can't help but achieve your goals.

#57 Know yourself.

There is what you can do. And what you will do. Can you carry a log to the top of the mountain? Physically, can you do it? Yes? Then that could be part of your workout routine. But don't set yourself up for failure. If you know you'll never carry that log, then don't put it in your plan. Motivate yourself, sure, but don't give yourself losses.

#58 Keep alert to false information.

This gets easier the more you know. But where to start? Don't trust the "experts" more than you do your common sense. Realize that the older and more basic is more likely to be true than the new and untried. New electrical gizmo? That's new and untried? A walk in the woods? That's proven since the dawn of history.

#59 Find trustworthy sources and rely upon them.

What's a trustworthy source? Well, for starters you get a good feeling about them. They sound like they know their stuff. They don't make it sound too easy. And they seem to have your best interests at heart. Then put it to a test. With all other things remaining the same, test one of their ideas or principles. Did things improve, even just a little? If so they're probably a trustworthy source.

#60 Don't overlook the details.

Will something help you improve, even just a little? Good. Then add it, if you can, to your program. The little things add up. They become powerful. A little weight gain over time becomes obesity. A little weight loss over time becomes the body you dream about.

#61 Take a break from junk food.

If you eat too many sugary foods you'll tend to crave them. This is particularly true for foods that are both sugary and salty. That's why potato chips are so addicting -- they're salty and they break down quickly to simple sugars. That's why manufacturers put sugar in their salty foods and salt in their sugary foods -- to make you crave more. How to break the cycle? Swear off the junk food for two weeks. Two weeks isn't forever. You'll feel better, you'll be able to taste flavors more easily and it will be easier for you to control your food intake.

#62 Don't call it cheating.

It's too negative to call it cheating. You're not a cheater. You're a human being doing something difficult, which is losing weight in our modern society. You ate something that wasn't on your plan. Fine. So now eat something you know is healthy, maybe kick your exercise program up a notch, and then continue. No reason to be so hard on yourself.

#63 Be patient.

You want to be skinny today. Or this week at least. But that's completely unreasonable and it will only lead to failure. At whatever weight you're at, steady progress over time is much more likely to lead to success. A pound a week doesn't sound like much? But it's 52 pounds (23 kg) a year. If you lose 50 pounds over the next year and keep it off it will be a miracle in your life.

#64 Don't be afraid of healthy fats.

You get healthy fats from nuts, seeds, fish and lean meats. They are part of healthy nutrition. So don't overdo the greasy, artery clogging fried foods. But make healthy fats an important part of your diet.

#65 Keep dramatic changes to a minimum.

Example: You grew up on meat and potatoes. Now you're suddenly going to be a vegan -- no animal products of any kind. New vegans tend to starve. Or they eat a lot of bread. You shouldn't have to do anything too dramatic. Give up pasta? You shouldn't have to. You can lose weight without giving up the foods you love, as long as you build them into a sensible weight loss plan.

#66 Measure your food.

After you figure out how much you should be eating, what's the next step? It's to figure out how much you are eating. To do that you have to measure your food. It doesn't matter how you do it -- whether you use pre-packaged food, weigh your food or use portion control -- somehow you have to figure out what you are actually eating. If you don't you will never really know what your intake is and why you can't lose weight.

#67 Measure your body fat.

You know you want to lose weight. But what you really need to do is to lose body fat. And the only way you can know how much body fat you are losing is to measure it. Then keep track of your progress by measuring it as you go along.

#68 Weigh yourself every day.

This is controversial, but it shouldn't be. Some people say not to weigh yourself every day because weight goes up and down day by day and you'll get discouraged. It does go up and down. But you know that. You're tough enough to face it on the up days. So why daily weighing? Because it means your in the game. You haven't quit. You haven't forgotten. If you don't do this, you'll end up shocked some day, after some months without weighing, to find how much weight you've gained.

#69 Keep a weight graph.

A graph will show your progress over time better than anything. Make a line from your current weight to your goal weight at a time in future. As long as your weight stays on the line or lower, you're doing great.

#70 Exercise so you don't have to starve.

Exercise not only makes you strong and healthy, it also allows you to eat more. If you exercise regularly you can eat bigger meals than you could otherwise. If you love food that's a real bonus. And if you eat some extra junk food? Just hit the gym a couple of times and burn it off. It's really the only practical way to stay lean without starving.

#71 Get benefit from your cardio exercise.

How? By working hard enough. If you're not getting results, then increase your intensity to increase your heart rate. You can go to 60% of predicted maximum heart rate, to 70%, to 80% or even higher. Keep that up for 30 minutes and you'll have a real workout. Or use the Borg scale, where you exercise based on your perception of exercise difficulty. Studies show that you may need to get at least to "hard" or "very hard" on the Borg scale to see real results.

#72 Don't try to spot reduce.

It's not possible to spot reduce. The way to reduce flab on the belly or the hips is to lose weight overall. The "electric belly buster" or "thigh flab eliminator" just won't do it. Neither will situps. Situps should be part of your plan, but you get a leaner waist from running sprints -- or high-intensity training on the cross-trainer at the gym -- than from doing situps. It's total body fat that makes the difference.

#73 Join a gym.

You can have exercise equipment at home, and if you're very disciplined you'll do just fine. But it's easy to say, "I'll do it later," and then never get to it. There are distractions -- the telephone and the television. But if you can make it to the gym you will work out. Nobody comes to the gym and just stands there. It's a motivating environment. And with all the classes and equipment there is more that you can do there than you can do on your own.